Unity Magazine 2020

UNITY UNITY MAGAZINE

ENTERPRISE

THE PATH FORWARD

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D I S TA N C E E D U C AT I O N

HYBRID LEARNING

record Enrollment, NEW DEGREES, & Extended REality

COVID-PROOF LEARNING

Letter from the president Dear Unity College Community, As I write this letter, please know that I do so with the understanding that this year has been a difficult one. While we continue to navigate the challenges associated with this global pandemic, it is my sincere hope that you and your loved ones are safe and healthy.

Few could have imagined the toll this pandemic would take when it first began, and yet it has affected nearly every aspect of our lives. We are certainly feeling that impact at Unity College as well.

Unity College experienced an unprecedented year in many ways. With the safety of our students and employees at the forefront of our decision-making, we announced in June that we would be moving our residential students to fully remote learning for the 202021 year. In seeing how other colleges that opened for in-person learning this year are dealing with COVID-19 outbreaks on their campuses while struggling to offer a robust student experience with COVID-19 regulations, I stand by our decision. It does not make it easier, however, for our residential students who are looking for a return to normalcy.

As a result of a 33 percent decline in the enrollment of our residential program, we accelerated our transition to the Hybrid Learning Model this year (p. 22) and an official breakaway from the traditional two-semester residential model. In doing so, we moved to a non-standard calendar with classes starting every five weeks. This gives us the flexibility to respond to the changing characteristics of the pandemic and adjust our course offerings accordingly. For example, as we navigate COVID-19, the Hybrid Learning model allows us to re-evaluate the possibility of offering in-person courses eight times per year, as compared to twice per year with the traditional two-semester model. Hybrid Learning is designed to provide students with ultimate flexibility in choosing between remote, in-person, and residential experiences based on their needs at a cost that is intentional about creating access. I am excited to fully launch Hybrid Learning when we are safely able to offer in-person courses once again, so that we can see this model running at its full potential.

Our Distance Education programs, on the other hand, have experienced tremendous growth this year. I am proud to share a 133 percent increase in the enrollment of our Distance Education programs reaching over 1,000 students. This is a true testament to the demand for a Unity College education from a growing variety of audiences. These students, many of whom are working adults with families, are passionate about the environment and sustainability science. As we work to advance the mission of Unity College, we must consider all new audiences and recognize that environmental issues impact people from all walks of life. It is our responsibility to make a Unity College education accessible to anyone interested in learning from us.

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Unity College also took a leap into extended reality (XR) this year. As part of our Path Forward (p.6), with a focus on accessibility, utilizing extended reality in the classroom allows students the opportunity to experience immersive learning right in their living rooms. By using a variety of simulations students can traverse dense jungle landscapes, learn about animal populations in a variety of locations, lead a crime scene investigation, and more. Extended reality makes it possible for students who could not afford an in-person travel course, for example, to have access to an immersive experience that allows them to put theory into practice.

Beyond the classroom, the use of XR has already given us the opportunity to partner with organizations across a variety of industries who are interested in workforce development and upskilling for their employees. By utilizing extended reality, remote, on-site, online, and hybrid options as part of our educational offerings, we are helping organizations develop customized plans that are designed to meet the ever-changing needs of their industry. Through these partnerships, organizations are seeing the value of embedding environmental and sustainability concepts into the way they work, further advancing the Unity College mission.

As you read through this magazine, I hope you will feel a sense of excitement and pride.

There is an incredible amount of good work being done at Unity College to ensure we have a long and sustainable future. At a time when colleges similar to ours are discussing possible closures, we are poised for growth. If you are an alum reading this, you know that Unity College worked to support you during your time as a student, and we must continue to adjust in order to support the needs of students today and of the future.

The world needs Unity College alumni now more than ever as we continue to navigate pressing environmental concerns from the vast landscapes of our beautiful national parks to the vibrant and diverse urban centers throughout the country. I hope you’ll join us on this exciting Path Forward as we graduate environmental stewards for generations to come.

In Unity, Dr. Melik Peter Khoury President Unity College

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Unity Magazine Volume 35 No. 1 President Dr. Melik Peter Khoury Unity Magazine Team Joel Crabtree Rachel Kahn Alecia Sudmeyer Photography Joel Crabtree Alecia Sudmeyer Adobe Stock Cover Photo Alecia Sudmeyer The Unity College Mission Through the framework of sustainability science, Unity College provides a liberal arts education that emphasizes the environment and natural resources. Through experiential and collaborative learning, our graduates emerge as responsible citizens, environmental stewards, and visionary leaders.

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CONTENTS 06 What Does The Future of Higher Education Look Like?

10 Opening Up a Whole New World for Students 14 Unity College News 16 A Commitment Through 2030 22 Hybrid Learning: Flexibility Opens Doors for Students 24 Faculty: New and Notable 26 Commencement 2021 : Danni Washington 28 A New Home for Distance Education 30 Expanding our Degree Offerings 34 In Memory of ...

36 Student Internships 38 Alumni Notes

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What The Future Education L

Well before COVID-19 forced universi Dr. Melik Peter Khoury s

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Does e of Higher Look Like?

ities and colleges to ask this question, saw the need to change.

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U N I T Y M A G A Z I N E T H E PAT H F O R W A R D

For decades, the opening of school in the United States has been a time-honored tradition.

In the fall, parents bring their students to campus, unload microwaves and mini-fridges into residence halls, and students are welcomed with an orientation and convocation as they begin their pursuit of a bachelor’s degree. It’s powerful imagery for anyone who had the opportunity to attend a four-year residential school, evoking a sense of nostalgia for those formative days.

The four-year residential program, however, comes with a cost. Many students, even with scholarships and discounts, have to go into debt with tens of thousands of dollars in loans to complete their degrees. Students have to uproot their lives to live on or near a centralized campus while juggling work hours, their class schedules, and homework. And if an internship or job opportunity presents itself during fall, winter, or spring, students are forced to choose between school or an experience that would help advance their career. Now, add the complications from COVID-19 into the mix, and it’s no wonder why students are questioning whether college is the right path for them.

College students are no longer just 18- to 22-year-olds pursuing their degree right out of high school. They’re working adults looking to advance their careers, veterans and active military members looking forward to the next chapter of their lives, single mothers who have to balance academics and raising their children. These students live all over the country, and Unity College is taking steps to meet them where they are, offering them relevant courses

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and degree programs through a modality that is easily accessible.

Just as all industries have adapted over the decades — from news and healthcare to music and television, it’s clear that the willingness to change has become critical to surviving.

Phones are no longer made just for talking with friends and family. Shopping malls are becoming ghost towns as Amazon and online shopping have offered buyers a more convenient option. Daily and weekly newspapers are seeing record-low circulations while clicks and hits to their websites have spiked.

T H E PAT H FO R WA R D

The changes began with the introduction of the Enterprise Education Model, an innovative structure implemented at Unity College in 2017 that diversifies the College’s revenue streams, subsidizes tuition costs, and prepares graduates with real-world skills. Through the Enterprise Education Model, the College created separate Sustainable Education Business Units (SEBUs), each of which governs independently with their own budgets, while also using centralized resources from the Enterprise including marketing and operations.

Prior to COVID-19, institutions of higher education were already closing at an unprecedented rate due primarily to shifting demographics. It’s a trend that Unity College President Dr. Melik Peter Khoury took note of, and he saw the need for higher education to evolve.

“The traditional four-year twosemester model of higher education was built around exclusivity, not inclusivity,” said Dr. Khoury. “It was created when 5 percent of the country’s population went to school, and colleges have tried to massproduce this over the years, and for many years, it worked. Times have changed, however, and in recent years we’ve seen the highest dropout rates and loan default rates in history. Unity College was faced with a couple of options. The first would be to increase the cost of tuition and room and board to unreasonable rates, which is unfair to students seeking an education from America’s Environmental College. The second was to innovate, to increase the accessibility and affordability of a Unity College education.”

Extended reality technology offers stude parts of the world from the comfort of their affordable, it’s also more environmentally fr

The Enterprise Education Model is designed to weather the ebb and flow of higher education, so that if one SEBU is succeeding, it can offset others that might be underperforming. Through Distance Education, one such SEBU that has seen tremendous growth since its inception, Unity College has reached new learners — degree-seeking adults, students from diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds, and veterans.

T H E PAT H F O R W A R D U N I T Y M A G A Z I N E

While Dr. Khoury understood the need to adapt, the COVID-19 pandemic, as it did with most industries, accelerated the plans that were in place. The Path Forward for Unity College, which shifts the College away from the traditional two-semester model, to a new calendar that offers students eight five-week terms, enables prospective students to start their Unity College degree at several points throughout the calendar year. And, based on initial numbers, the outlook for Unity College’s Path Forward is optimistic.

“In addition to the incoming class of nearly 300 — a new record for

thought earning a degree from America’s Environmental College would be possible.”

of our eight start dates per year, or five start dates per year for graduate students.

Unity College’s Path Forward is not only focused on degrees, as the College looks to develop and deliver a suite of microcredentials for learners who want to enhance their skills. Dr. Khoury is seeking additional businesses and organizations to partner with, to customize sustainability microcredentialing programs based on the needs of their employees in what has been dubbed the Environmental Century. The College is also in the first stages of developing doctoral degrees, continuing its goal to meet and educate new audiences.

This calendar structure offers students unprecedented flexibility, especially during this pandemic, but also beyond. Now if students need to pause their education for a term or two, for any reason, that option exists and allows them to seek their degrees in pace with the demands of their life, work, and family commitments. This provides options that were simply unrealistic in the two-semester model.”

REACHING MORE NEW STUDENTS THAN EVER

ents opportunities to visit and explore new r own home. Not only is this option far more riendly than traveling by plane.

Unity College — we’re projecting more than 1,500 incoming graduate and undergraduate students will enroll with the College over the next seven terms,” said Dr. Khoury. “We have always known that there is an interest in our sustainability curriculum, but by increasing the accessibility, affordability, and flexibility of our curriculum through Distance Education and Hybrid Learning, we are finally able to reach students who never

Of the nearly 1,300 total students currently enrolled at Unity College, 15 percent self identify as ethnically diverse, up significantly from previous years.

The Fall Term 1 student body is also made up of students from 48 states and two territories, with 76.9 percent of Hybrid Learning students qualifying for financial aid, and 76.2 percent of Distance Education undergrads qualifying.

“In order to live our mission and truly be America’s Environmental College, it’s important that our student body represents all of the people who make up what America is,” said Unity College Chief Learning Officer Dr. Erika Latty. “We’re seeing a lot of interest in our curriculum right now, and a lot of that is due to our new calendar, where undergraduates may enroll every five weeks, and every eight weeks for our graduate program. Now, instead of waiting to start school until next January or even next fall, students may choose to start in October or November, or any

With that said, Hybrid Learning allows a student to have that traditional four-year residential experience, by taking two in-person courses each term throughout the fall and spring. Or students can mix and match online and in-person classes throughout the year, lean heavily into online learning while spending some terms taking in-person courses, or pause for a term or two for work or an internship. The curriculum is theirs to design, and every in-person course has an online equivalent with the same standards of experiential learning.

So, now that Unity College is on its Path Forward, what does the future look like? “My goal is simply to see that Unity College and our mission continue to thrive,” said Dr. Khoury.

“Our education is steeped in sustainability and undergirded by the liberal arts, and it is not a niche like some people still think it to be. The work we’re doing here is important, and employers in almost every industry are seeking environmental stewards for the workforce. I want more learners to understand that they can attain a degree from America’s Environmental College, and they can do it from anywhere in the world and on their terms.”

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The Future of Learning Experiential learning is one of the hallmarks of a Unity College education. When the College introduced extended reality (XR) technology, it gave faculty members a new way to incorporate hands-on learning into online courses. Pictured here is a distance sampling XR program for Wildlife Biology students, where learners can find and count rabbits in a virtual forest.

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E X TENDED R E ALIT Y TECHNOLOGY OFFER S S TUDENT S A NEW WAY TO GET HANDS - ON LE AR N I NG

EXTENDED REALITY (XR) UNITY MAGAZINE

“The most important thing about a technology is how it changes people.” This quote from Jaron Lanier, a computer philosophy writer who is often referred to as the father of modern virtual reality, succinctly summarizes Unity College President Dr. Melik Peter Khoury’s vision of how extended reality could reach his students.

In early 2020, Dr. Khoury brought David Bass-Clark on board as Unity College Distance Education’s first Director of AR/VR Research and Development. Bass-Clark got right to work, collaborating with Distance Education faculty and instructional designers to explore just how extended reality could best serve Unity College’s students.

A bit of a gamer himself, Dr. Khoury has kept a close eye on strides the industry has taken with extended reality technology, and in 2015 companies began introducing the technology into new platforms and consoles and XR finally began reaching its full potential after more than a century in various stages of development. While others saw an advancement in gaming — something used primarily for entertainment purposes — Dr. Khoury saw something more.

He saw a new way to enhance the experience for students at Unity College.

“All of our courses are intentionally designed to deliver an immersive experience,” said Dr. Amy Arnett, Vice President of Distance Education. “Our instructional designers, faculty, and deans, work in concert to create hands-on assignments and experiential learning for all our students, and integrating XR into our program is not only exciting, but adds a new layer to our curriculum.”

“While others were writing XR and VR technology off as a gimmick, or just ignoring it entirely, I saw the future. Similar to the way that the Internet, email, and social media have all pushed the boundaries of what we can do and who we can reach, XR technology is going to change how students learn, and who those students are,” said Dr. Khoury. “Now we can transport students, no matter where they are in the world, to anywhere in the world with zero carbon emissions — from the Amazon rainforest to the glacial formations in Antarctica.

And we can bring our curriculum to even more students than before, increasing accessibility to our experiential style of education and ensuring that we are graduating more future environmental leaders to help solve our environmental challenges. We’re just beginning to scratch the surface of where XR can take us.”

Faculty, had been mulling for quite a while before it was introduced at Unity College. He had noticed some flaws in the face-to-face model, with labs often becoming demonstrations, or with multiple students heading out into the field all at once during a time that might not necessarily be optimal for outcomes. When Bass-Clark first reached out to Dr. Bibles for ideas on how to incorporate XR into his courses, Dr. Bibles had a number of ideas. They landed on a distance sampling experiment, where

“At Unity, students have the opportunity to step inside of an immersive narrative Bringing the Crime Scene to You Unity College as a conservation Conservation Law Enforcement students can preserve scientist, a park evidence in this XR Crime Scene Investigation simulation, ranger, an animal learning the same skills they would through in-person care specialist, a simulations. marine biologist, or an environmental justice advocate,” said Bassstudents find and count rabbits Clark. “Our realistic simulations within a virtual forest. are created in collaboration with a team of subject matter experts, “One of the key problems instructional designers, software associated with population developers, and 3D artists. These estimation, which is a large chunk of experiences enable students to what we do in the field, is what we practice professional skills so they call the problem of detectability,” are well prepared to pursue the said Dr. Bibles. “We know that we careers of their dreams.” just don’t see every individual that’s out there, and it’s critical that we The concept of extended reality figure out what proportion of them is something that Dr. Brent Bibles, we’re seeing. Almost all of our Professor of Wildlife Biology and population methods rely on that.”

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Flexible four quarter calendar allows students to engage in a robust residential college experience while having the flexibility for work, family commitments, and career opportunities.

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Unlike going out in the field, students will know how many rabbits are in the simulation, and while they can try their best to count all of them, it will illustrate that they are not seeing all of them. In the following weeks of the course, Dr. Bibles can build on that idea of what detectability is and teach students techniques used by professionals to prepare them to go out into the field.

“It is not only important for our students to take on active roles in these simulations, but we also strive to equip students with the skills necessary to design and build immersive simulations and experiences,” added Bass-Clark.

“These skills will truly set them apart in a competitive job market.”

XR technology was also incorporated into the College’s Conservation Law Enforcement’s Crime Scene Investigation course, which is offered through Hybrid Learning and Distance Education.

The XR component for students who take the course remotely plunges the user into an active crime scene where they have to preserve evidence. Feedback from the first iteration of this XR experience included students saying “this gives you a taste of a crime scene and you can walk through it while using your critical thinking process [to] find out what evidence was involved or not,” as

well as “It was a good start to see what you know about crime scene investigations.” Student comments also help the designers adjust and improve as necessary.

While students will gain field skills through XR simulations, they’ll also become proficient in a burgeoning technology that is becoming integrated in nearly every career.

“This is a technology that students will be able to put on their resume,” added Dr. Khoury. “And I can guarantee that in 2020, that is not common, and those skills will give Unity College graduates yet another advantage when applying for a job.”

Immersing Yourself in Your Studies While not every XR simulation requires a VR headset, the one pictured here can enhance your experience with some of the more immersive programs.

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UNITY COLLEGE News unity.edu/news

RACHEL KAHN NEW Chief Advancement Officer ‘NOW IS THE TIME TO ENSURE OUR MISSION IS ACCESSIBLE AND R E L E VA N T T O LEARNERS FROM ALL BACKGROUNDS AND GEOGRAPHIC AREAS’

Rachel Kahn, who has spent three years in Admissions as well as Career Services, most recently serving as Director of Career Services, has now accepted the position as Unity College’s Chief Advancement Officer.

“I was initially drawn to working at Unity College because of its unique mission, and I am eager to help Unity break down traditional higher education barriers to make our mission accessible to anyone who is interested in learning with us,” said Kahn.

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Wood Turtle Project awarded nearly $47,000 in grant money to further research In January, the Dorr Foundation, The William P. Wharton Trust, the Davis Conservation Foundation, the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden, and the Wildlife Division of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, which has also served as a partner in the research, are supporting the project this year through grants totaling nearly $47,000.

“It is truly humbling and an honor to receive these grants and to know that these organizations are taking note of the important work that our faculty and students are conducting at Unity College,” said Unity College President Dr. Melik Peter Khoury. “The most rewarding part of all of this is that this research is not only helping to monitor and preserve

wood turtle populations, but it is also giving our students an opportunity to take part in, and often lead, hands-on research akin to what they will be doing when they begin their career or continue their education in grad school. In fact, the project has been going on for so long, that alumni who worked with wood turtles as undergraduates are now in graduate school, potentially taking this work in new and exciting directions. Needless to say, I’m looking forward to seeing where this project goes and all the great work that comes from it in the coming years.”

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Unity College EarnS 2020-2021 Military FriendlY School Designation

ladphotography.com A Wedding Destination Since Unity College was gifted picturesque Sky Lodge in Moose River, Maine, it has become a premiere wedding destination in the state, and still has some available dates for 2021 and 2022!

Keeping Guests Safe Looking for a getaway where you can explore the outdoors and have peace of mind during the COVID-19 pandemic? Sky Lodge has strict safety protocols in place to ensure guests remain healthy.

Final ratings were determined by combining the institution’s survey scores with the assessment of the institution’s ability to meet thresholds for Student Retention, Graduation, Job Placement, Loan Repayment, Persistence (Degree Advancement or Transfer) and Loan Default rates for all students and, specifically, for student veterans.

“It is truly an honor for Unity College to be recognized as an institution committed to learners who are part of the military community,” said Unity College President Dr. Melik Peter Khoury.

“At Unity College, we take pride in ensuring those who have served are given the tools they need to be successful, whether they’re receiving online credentialing, spending four years at our Unity, ME campus, or serving overseas while working to earn their bachelor’s or master’s degree online.”

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A Commitment Through 2030 AFTER BRINGING TREMENDOUS GROWTH A N D I N N OVAT I O N T O UNITY COLLEGE, DR. MELIK PETER KHOURY CO M M I T S TO AT LE A S T ANOTHER DECADE AT T H E H E L M , W I T H THE FULL SUPPORT FROM THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

The right leader at the right time for Unity College. That is, in short, how the Unity College Board of Trustees describes College President Dr. Melik Peter Khoury. It is no secret that Dr. Khoury is unlike any of the previous ten presidents Unity College has had in its history, which spans more than 55 years.

It is that difference that has propelled Unity College forward to secure a longterm sustainable future at a time when many revenuedependent colleges are at risk of permanent closure.

At the helm, Dr. Khoury has navigated Unity College through some of the industry’s most challenging times, and has demonstrated a proficiency for innovation and leadership that has kept the College moving forward.

Because of his success as President, the Unity College Board of Trustees and leadership team have committed their full support of Dr. Khoury to lead the College through at least 2030.

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Since being named Unity College President in 2016, Dr. Khoury has brought his blend of higher education and business backgrounds along with his transformative leadership style and innovative spirit to develop a Unity College built to thrive well into the future. “It is Melik’s strength and fortitude, rooted firmly in his passion for accessible, affordable, and flexible higher education, that made him the right choice for President then, now, and for the future of the College,” said Sharon Reishus, Chair of the Board of Trustees.

“We are more confident than ever in Melik’s vision and leadership, and we know that we’ve only just begun to see the positive impact of his presidency on the mission and future of Unity College.”

An Audience-First Approach Distance Education and Hybrid Learning are the two SEBUs offering Unity College’s environmental science and sustainability curriculum, but to different audiences. Distance Education is designed to serve students who are interested in earning their degree fully online. Many of these students are placebound with families, jobs,

and other responsibilities that make a traditional fouryear college experience impossible. Hybrid Learning offers the ultimate flexibility for students with both online and face-to-face courses as part of their degree program.

Both options are delivered through a non-standard calendar with shortened terms, leaning into a decentralized campus model and allowing for greater flexibility to meet the needs of students.

“The traditional residential model was designed when only 5 percent of students in America were attending college,” said Dr. Khoury.

“Times have changed drastically since then, yet higher education has kept the same model, seeing dropout and loan default rates hitting an all-time high, and a waning interest in college from high school students, who historically were the cornerstone keeping our industry afloat. The model that has served colleges quite well for decades is no longer viable. Rather than sit around and continue down that path, saying ‘everything is fine,’ I developed new ways for Unity College to reach new students, ensuring our mission and our degrees are relevant now and for decades to come.”

In both Distance Education and Hybrid Learning, students experience the immersive hands-on learning opportunities that are an integral part of the Unity College experience. For example, students in the Distance Education SEBU may be assigned to go to a body of water in their town to collect samples and complete a lab. Students in Hybrid Learning may take an online course with elements of extended reality where they are virtually plunged into a realistic forest setting to conduct population calculations on a specific species. These are just some of the ways Unity College continues to lean into

innovative methods for delivering curriculum to a variety of audiences.

A Structure Built for Long-Term Success Though the Enterprise Education Model has revolutionized the way Unity College operates, leadership in abundance is a critical element that helps Enterprise Education function as successfully as it does. Dr. Khoury has built a team of Chiefs and Vice Presidents who oversee the functions and SEBUs at Unity College, and work directly with Dr.

one another with our various perspectives and experiences to come to a conclusion that is in the best interest of our students and our mission.”

Khoury to bring the College’s mission to life and ensure its long-term sustainability. This executive leadership team is made up of individuals who have held roles previously at Unity College, including faculty and staff positions, as well as individuals from outside of Unity College.

By creating that balance within this team, there is both internal and external influence on decision-making, which provides the holistic perspective necessary to make good choices.

“This team consistently pushes each other to do nextlevel work,” said Jennifer deHart, Chief Sustainability Officer. “We break away from a silo mentality and engage

Beyond this core group of Chiefs and Vice Presidents, there is Senior Staff, which is made up of the executive leadership team as well as the directors and supervisors from each unit.

Senior Staff meets regularly to ensure transparency in communication, and to work on professional development opportunities that then filter into the rest of the organization. This is the manifestation of the leadership in abundance concept, in that this large leadership team is included in executive-level communications and given the tools to train and support their teams as the College implements new initiatives.

“It has been a key element in our ability to move quickly,” said Dr. Erika Latty, Chief Learning Officer. “In order to respond effectively to the rapidly changing landscape of higher education and remain viable, we must get our teams onboard quickly while making sure they have the tools and support to be successful.

Senior Staff has helped tremendously in that effort.”

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Dr. Khoury’s Road to the Presidency

“It is Melik’s strength and fortitude, rooted firmly in his passion for accessible, affordable, and flexible higher education, that made him the right choice for President then, now, and for the future of the College.”

Sharon Reishus Chair of the Board of Trustees

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It is also important, Dr. Khoury notes, to recognize Unity College’s commitment to their mission, focused on offering environmental science and sustainability education that prepares graduates to go on to solve the world’s most pressing environmental issues. This mission is part of what drives Dr. Khoury in his work to make the College more accessible.

“While growing up in West Africa, no one was talking about the ecological impact of climate change,” said Dr. Khoury. “I wish I had learned about it earlier along with the sense of urgency in this necessary work.”

The conversations around environmental work and green jobs are often focused on the vast landscapes of national parks and places with low human population. This has led to a disproportionately low representation of minorities in environmental jobs. By increasing accessibility, Unity College aims to ensure the green economy is more inclusive, by graduating environmental stewards and leaders from all backgrounds who are prepared to tackle

environmental issues where they are.

Dr. Khoury has a history of turning struggling higher education institutions around by implementing organizational structures that lend themselves to long-term growth and sustainability. Khoury came to Unity from Upper Iowa University in Fayette, Iowa, where he held the position of Senior Vice President for Strategic Positioning. Khoury previously served as Vice President for Enrollment Management and College Marketing at Culver Stockton College in Canton, Mo.; Vice President for Enrollment Management at Paul Smith’s College in New York; and Director of Admissions at the University of Maine at Fort Kent.

Dr. Khoury’s impressive resume does not reflect his personal story, however, which is what fuels his passion for access to higher education for all. Dr. Khoury was born in Sierra Leone and spent most of his childhood in The Gambia, both small countries in West Africa. Having grown up in a country going through a civil war, and experiencing the horrific loss and grief associated with such an event, Dr.

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Khoury was determined to live a purposeful life. He also recognized education as the conduit for success.

In 1994, Dr. Khoury immigrated to the United States to attend the University of Maine at Fort Kent. When asked, he explains his family used to watch the television show “M*A*S*H” in which Crabapple Cove, Maine is the fictional hometown of “M*A*S*H” surgeon Captain Benjamin Franklin “Hawkeye” Pierce. That was enough for Dr. Khoury to set his sights on Maine as a landing place in the United States.

Dr. Khoury’s story is an unusual one when compared with other presidents in higher education. As an immigrant who has faced a lifetime of adversity and often found himself with nothing but his own intuition, he brings a fresh and bold perspective to the role of college president. While these differences often inspire his intrepid approach, they also give pause to those in higher education who are more closely aligned with tradition. Higher education in the United States has, for most of its history, been reserved for those who had the luxury and privilege to access it. Dr. Khoury strives to break down those pillars

of tradition to create a private higher education that is accessible to anyone who seeks it, regardless of their socioeconomic status, ethnicity, or location.

There have been times when Dr. Khoury has struggled against the status quo of higher education throughout his career, and his industrydisrupting approach has proven to be difficult for some to consider. Frequently finding himself in a room full of other higher education leaders who fit the traditional mold of what higher education looks like, Dr. Khoury, like other trailblazing minorities, is often considered an outsider whose ideas and opinions are disregarded.

It doesn’t weigh him down, however. In fact, it’s part of what drives him to devote his talents, energy, and insights into making sure Unity College succeeds into the future. Dr. Khoury does not stand on ceremony or let tradition dictate how he works, nor will he stay quiet in an attempt to fit in.

Instead, he wants his vision and success to be heard, so that other institutions who are facing the same struggles can adopt his blueprint to help them remain relevant.

for themselves. In 2012, Unity College — then a traditional four-year residential college, had a fall enrollment of 540 students and net assets of $28.1 million. Now, Unity College is educating more students than ever with more than 1,300, with net assets of $34.1 million. Through transitioning from a four-year residential model to Hybrid Learning, Unity College has also lowered annual tuition rates from $22,248 to anywhere between $11,280 to $13,200, depending on the modality a student chooses.

“I don’t want Unity College to be the last of its kind to be open,” said Dr. Khoury.

“I want to see other schools succeed, because as I’ve said before, the antidote to ignorance is an educated society. The more students we reach as an industry, the better off we all will be.”

Under Dr. Khoury’s leadership, Unity College’s results speak

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UNITY MAGAZINE DR. MELIK PETER KHOURY

Unity College earns national honor for sustainability in its curriculum A S S O C I AT I O N F O R T H E A DVA N C E M E N T F O R S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y I N H I G H E R E D U C AT I O N R E CO G N I Z E S A M E R I C A’ S E N V I R O N M E N TA L CO L L E G E I N I T S S U S TA I N A B LE C A M PU S I N D E X

As America’s Environmental College, it’s important for Unity College to establish itself as a leader in sustainability — to not only talk the talk, but to also walk the walk, doubling down on its mission.

As Unity College leans into curricular excellence in sustainability — a key contributor to the College reaching record enrollment, which has more than doubled over the past five years — the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) has recognized the College for its contributions to sustainability in its undergraduate and graduate curriculum.

Designations such as these have garnered attention from students nationally, contributing to the unprecedented growth the College has seen in recent years.

Many adult, place-bound learners are seeking a degree rooted in sustainability, and receiving this honor reaffirms for them that Unity College is on the right track with its Path Forward.

The AASHE 2020 Sustainable Campus Index recognizes top-performing colleges and universities from across the country overall and in 17 distinct aspects of sustainability, measured by the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS). Criteria include sustainable learning outcomes, immersive experiences, internships in sustainability fields, and sustainability courses and topics within courses.

“We here at Unity College take pride in developing the next generation of environmental leaders, and being recognized by AASHE reassures us that not only is our mission more relevant than ever, but that our curriculum and our students are thriving,” said Unity College President Dr. Melik Peter Khoury. “Through Hybrid Learning and 20

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Distance Education, we’ve taken strides to reach more students where they are, so now they can put our sustainability-minded education right to use in their own hometown. So it’s not only a win for our students, but for their communities as well. And a win for the environment, as it reduces the carbon emissions that students generate to receive a Unity College education!”

Unity College incorporates sustainability into every aspect of its functions, from academics to operations and planning. In fact, every single graduate program has at least one sustainability learning outcome, and all research-producing units are engaged in sustainability research.

The College has also realized a reduction in building energy of more than 25 percent through efficient construction and retrofits.

Meanwhile, 15 percent of electronic purchases, 80 percent of janitorial products, and 100 percent of copy paper meet recognized sustainability standards “Sustainability is ingrained in our culture,” said Chief Sustainability Officer Jennifer deHart.

“From orientation on, all of our students and staff understand the role that we all play in protecting our environment, and are aware of just how important it is to make the right decisions to limit our carbon footprint. And, sometimes changing the smallest habit can make a significant difference, like diverting 45 percent of our waste from landfills, including our food waste that is recycled into energy. If you do the math over years, it’s quite an accomplishment.” The College’s sustainability curriculum is clearly both timely and desirable.

Congratulations to all the Unity College students, faculty, staff, and alumni who have helped in leading the College’s sustainability efforts.

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unity.edu/give THERE ARE MANY REASONS TO GIVE TO UNITY COLLEGE. CHOOSE YOURS.

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UNITY MAGAZINE HYBRID LEARNING

HYBRID LEARNING Flexibility opens doors for students For Garrett Moody, the end of summer meant more than just shorter days and cooler temperatures — it meant the end of his summer internship as a deputy with the Maine Warden Service. It was a dream job for Garrett, and he had impressed the department so much that they were hoping to keep him on throughout the fall and into winter, which posed Garrett with a challenging decision. Should he give up the position with the Warden Service, which could very easily turn into a full-time career after he graduates, or should he return to classes full-time to finish out his senior year?

With the traditional four-year residential model, there would have been no way for him to juggle both.

However, in May, Unity College launched its Hybrid Learning program, giving students more flexibility by leveraging eight fiveweek terms as opposed to two 15or 16-week semesters. Within the new model, Unity College students can take one or two classes per term to be considered full-time, which not only empowers them to focus more wholly on those classes, but also to pursue and maintain jobs and internships while studying full-time.

“When the College introduced Hybrid Learning, I was actually able to continue working and take courses full-time,” Garrett said.

“Without that flexibility, I’d be losing out on all the hands-on experience I get every day by working on the job.”

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Hybrid Learning offers students unprecedented flexibility, giving them complete control over their schedule. If a student wants to mirror the four-year residential model, they can take two courses per term for six of the year’s eight terms. If a student wants to tackle research specific to a season like winter as opposed to an internship in the summer, they can take two terms off in the winter and focus on that research. Or, if a student has to shift their focus to family matters for a term or two, they can simply halt their education without having to drop out or fall behind.

“The idea behind Hybrid Learning is that education is not one-sizefits-all,” said Unity College Chief Learning Officer Dr. Erika Latty.

“Some of our students will see Hybrid Learning as an easy avenue to finish their degree in three-anda-half years. Others, like Garrett, will see it as an opportunity to get even more field experience while completing their bachelor’s degree.

And even more students will prefer getting to really dive into a course or two over that five-week term, rather than try to juggle five or six courses over the course of a semester.”

“One of the things that Unity College has taken pride in for generations now, is providing students with a strong experiential education,” said Unity College President Dr. Melik Peter Khoury.

“We’ve always ensured that our students graduate career-ready, with a strong liberal arts background, so that when they go out into the world, they are well-rounded leaders in sustainability. Hybrid Learning is designed to enhance those handson skills for our students. They are able to work within their fields or pursue internships year-round, instead of being limited to the summertime. And those jobs and internships often open doors for them after graduation, or sometimes even before they graduate.”

From a financial perspective, Hybrid Learning is also advantageous for students and their families, where online courses are $470 per credit hour, and in-person courses are $550 per credit hour, and $423 and $495 per credit hour for active military, veterans, spouses, and dependents.

That flexibility extends not only to when students learn, but how they learn. Students can blend remote learning and in-person coursework as they see fit. If a student is living halfway across the country for a majority of the year, they can complete their degree through rigorous, intentionally designed online courses that meet all the same criteria as the in-person classes. And when they can attend in-person, they can do so when it fits their schedule. They can also mix it up, taking in-person courses when it best suits their needs or learning style, and take another course online throughout the same term.

With Hybrid Learning still in its infancy, Garrett is among a class of students who will be trendsetters for future Unity College students, showing them just what is possible with this new modality. For now, Garrett is continuing to work in the field without any interruption in his studies and is on track to graduate on time. His experience as a Deputy Game Warden has been invaluable, and he has his sights firmly set on his future.“I was fortunate to work all over the state with many fulltime wardens,” said Garrett. “The hands-on experience my internship provided has confirmed my desire to be a Maine Game Warden.”

“I’m truly excited to see where our students go because of Hybrid Learning,” said Dr. Khoury. “Gen Z is far more entrepreneurial than their predecessors, and I fully believe that as they enter into this program, they’re going to do amazing things because of the flexibility, and I cannot wait.”

A New Model of Education: For Garrett Moody (above), a senior Conservation Law Enforcement student at Unity College, the Hybrid Learning model has given him the flexibility to finish his degree while continuing to work for the Warden Service. When Unity College can safely bring students back to in-person courses, they’ll be able to choose which courses they take online and which they take face-to-face (as pictured below).

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U N I T Y M A G A Z I N E U N I T Y FA C U LT Y

FACULTY NEW and Notable

Dr. JACOB BETHEM

Dr. Kristyn Vitale

Dr. Katherine Willis

Dr. Jacob Bethem received a Ph.D. in Sustainability from Arizona State University, an MBA in Sustainability from Duquesne University, MSM in Operational Excellence and a B.A. in Philosophy from Saint Vincent College, an M.A. in Philosophy from the University of Tennessee, and a B.S. in Biological Sciences from the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg. Besides working in academia, he has worked as a research consultant and in business management for over 10 years. His work includes specialization in the energy, waste, and transportation sectors and often combines quantitative modeling with ethical prescriptions.

Dr. Kristyn Vitale received a Ph.D. in Animal Science with a focus in Experimental Psychology from Oregon State University and a Master’s in Environmental Science from Miami University. She holds a B.S. in Zoology and a B.A. in Social Geography from Kent State University. Her research focuses specifically on domestic cat behavior and the cat-human relationship.

Published in 2020: Bethem, J., Frigo, G., Biswas, S. et al. (2020). Energy decisions within an applied ethics framework: An analysis of five recent controversies.

Energy Sustainability & Society 10, 29.

Kitty see, kitty do: cat imitates human, in first scientific demonstration of behavior. Science Magazine. (Sep. 25, 2020).

Dr. Kate Willis is the primary GIS Instructor at Unity College DE and the point person for geospatial support. Dr. Willis completed her Ph.D. and M.A. in Geography at University of California Los Angeles and her B.A. in Environmental Science and Policy from Clark University. At UCLA she taught classes in GIS, cartography, and earth science and helped create an online GIS certificate program.

She has authored 16 publications in the fields of remote sensing, paleoclimatology, and GIS. One of them, ‘Remote sensing change detection for ecological monitoring in United States protected areas’ has been cited over 100 times and is used in remote sensing course curriculums.

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Notable in 2020: Invited Speaker. Strengthening the Cat-Human Relationship Through a Better Understanding of Cat Social Behavior & Training. The Cat Connection. Online Webinar. (Oct. 9, 2020).

You Can Bond With Your Cat By Blinking, Scientists Say. Forbes. (Oct. 22, 2020).

Recent Publications: Willis, Katherine. Recovery after a Spring Fire at Mugu Lagoon, CA. Wetlands 40, 757–769 (2020).

Willis, Katherine. Vegetation Responses to 2012–2016 Drought in Northern and Southern California.

Geophysical Research Letters 46, 3810-3821 (2019)

U N I T Y FA C U LT Y U N I T Y M A G A Z I N E

Doug Fox

Dr. Katera Y. Moore

Joshua Robbins

Professor Doug Fox is joining the Hybrid Learning team as the Hybrid Learning Programs Liaison.

Doug is well known on campus and beyond for working with internal and external partners to build the Sustainable Agriculture Program.

His contributions to Unity College are too numerous to adequately describe in this announcement but during Doug’s tenure he has taught a diversity of classes, served on several College committees, and assumed multiple leadership roles. Most recently he worked on the TERRAIN development team and served as the School Coordinator for the School of Environmental Citizenship (SEC). Prior to that he also served as a Center Director.

Dr. Moore is an urban geographer who thinks critically about the political and economic structures that create inequality and considers food justice and health disparities to be an outcome of residential segregation. She is passionate about place-based education and is an experienced K-16 educator.

Joshua Robbins, Esq. joins the Hybrid Learning faculty as an Assistant Professor of Conservation Law Enforcement. Mr. Robbins is a lawyer who has also served as an Assistant District Attorney. He is passionate about the outdoors and has worked with the National Park Service as a Park Ranger and Law Enforcement Ranger, among other positions.

Recent Publications: Fox, Douglas. 2020. John Deere and the Ox Cart Man. Front Porch Republic. July 13, 2020.

Dr. Moore received both her B.A. in Urban Studies and her Masters of Environmental Studies from The University of Pennsylvania. Her passion for environmental justice issues led her to pursue a Ph.D. in Earth & Environmental Science and certificate in Africana Studies at The Graduate Center in New York. Her dissertation focused on environmental justice in postindustrial Philadelphia. She also has a certificate in Institutional Research & Assessment for Higher Education Decision Making.

These experiences will complement our existing strengths in the Conservation Law Enforcement program, and we are thrilled to include Mr. Robbins in our Hybrid Learning team.

Fox, Douglas. 2020. Nature and Culture in a Recovered Tradition.

Macrina. May 16, 2020.

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DANNI WASHINGTON A F T E R COV I D -19 D I S R U P T E D M AY 2 0 2 0 COMMENCEMENT PLANS, DANNI WASHINGTON COMMITS TO D E L I V E R M AY 2 0 2 1 COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS Danni Washington, a correspondent on the nationally syndicated CBS series “Mission Unstoppable,” and founder of the nonprofit Big Blue & You, has made it her personal and professional mission to inspire the next generation to connect with the natural world. On May 15, 2021 Washington will get to share her passion face-to-face with Unity College Hybrid and Distance Education graduates as she delivers the Spring Commencement address and receives an honorary doctorate of Sustainability Science.

“We here at Unity College are proud to announce that Ms. Washington will be speaking at our May Commencement,” said Unity College President Dr. Melik Peter Khoury. “We have a history of drawing in some of the most well-known environmental advocates in the world, including Oscar-winner Jimmy Chin, TV host and biologist Jeff Corwin, and Maine’s own Travis Mills. Ms. Washington is certainly right there with all of them, and she has been on our radar for quite some time.

Her ethos and ability to connect with young people interested in environmental science and storytelling is unparalleled, and aligns so well with our mission.

Here at Unity College, we have a robust Marine Biology program, and a lot of our students know Ms. Washington from ‘Mission Unstoppable’ and ‘Xploration Nature Knows Best.’ So needless to say, there’s a lot of excitement 26

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among our graduates about the guidance and wisdom she can offer them.”

“It’s an honor to be invited to Unity College, America’s Environmental College, to speak at the 2021 Commencement,” said Washington. “These graduates are going to be the ones who inherit our planet, and the graduates of Unity College are going to be the ones who get involved and make sure they have a seat at the table when it comes to making decisions about the environment. They’re energetic, they’re passionate, they’re creative, and I hope that I can play a part in motivating them all as they go on to a career or graduate school and really make a difference.”

Washington has made history as the first woman of color in the United States to host her own science television series, and she has spent the last decade of her life finding creative ways to convert her passion for the ocean and science in exciting, high-profile ways. A Miami native with Jamaican roots, Washington has dreamed of studying oceans since she was 6 years old.

dedicated to inspiring and educating youth about marine conservation through the arts and media. She also served for four years as a naturalist at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Biscayne Nature Center where she helped educate thousands of South Florida children about local marine ecosystems.

“While Ms. Washington’s background is in the sciences, she also has an appreciation for the arts and media, which I think will really connect with our graduates,” said Unity College Chief Learning Officer Dr. Erika Latty. “She approaches all of her endeavors through the lens of sustainability, and I think that will show the Class of 2020 all

May 2019 Commencement Though COVID-19 threw a wrench into May Commencement plans, Danni Washington filmed an encouraging video message for Unity College’s Virtual Recognition event and has agreed to speak at ceremony in May 2021.

In 2008, Washington graduated from the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science with a Bachelor of Science in Marine Science/ Biology. At age 21, along with her mother, Michelle Swaby-Smith, she co-founded the Big Blue & You, a nonprofit organization

of the things that you can do with a degree from America’s Environmental College. I hope that her words encourage our graduates to inspire future generations of environmental leaders, just as Ms. Washington has done throughout her career.”

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A new home for Distance Education 28

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R E LO C AT I N G T H E D I S TA N C E E D U C AT I O N OFFICES TO PINEL AND FARMS ENABLES US TO T R U LY S T R E T C H OUR MISSION AND FIND NEW AUDIENCES

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December 2019 ­— While Unity College’s roots were planted at 90 Quaker Hill Road in Unity, Maine more than 50 years ago, its campus has since grown, adding new sites in Thorndike, Moose River, and Portland.

Through Distance Education, the College has gone borderless, delivering its sustainability-centered curriculum to learners anywhere in the world.

Since its inception in 2016, Unity College’s Distance Education is growing faster than anticipated and serving new audiences. As Distance Education continues to develop, there has been an increased need for staff and faculty, and in turn, an increased need for a new DE space. In November, Unity College’s Distance Education team completed their move to Pineland Farms, located on 5,000 acres in New Gloucester, Maine, embedding Unity College into a vibrant sustainable ecosystem, further expanding the College’s footprint in Maine.

“I have always said that Maine is our classroom, and being welcomed by

Pineland Farms is just another step in realizing that vision. We are thrilled to have our Distance Education team in New Gloucester at Pineland Farms,” said Unity College President Dr. Melik Peter Khoury. “Much like Unity College, Pineland Farms is dedicated to sustainability, offering its visitors and surrounding community not only one of the most beautiful landscapes Maine has to offer, but a venue that encourages positive educational and recreational opportunities. It’s easy to see why having our Distance Education offices at Pineland is beneficial for us, and a perfect fit.”

It’s also a practical fit, added Dr. Amy Arnett, Vice President of Distance Education at Unity College.

Pineland Farms, which is about a half-hour outside Portland, offers easy opportunities to host immersive class experiences, bring in speakers or educators, and quick access to one of the fastest-growing cities for startups in the country.

“Relocating the Distance Education offices to Pineland Farms enables us to truly stretch our mission and

find new audiences,” said Dr. Arnett.

“It’s also not that far from Boston, Manchester, some of the other larger populated areas in New England, so we can start to develop connections and partnerships with those people down there.”

“With Distance Education now located in Pineland, we are providing more opportunities for Unity College students to experience even more of Maine,” said Dr. Erika Latty, Unity College’s Chief Learning Officer. “This is Unity College expanding its physical footprint to provide staff, faculty, and students new opportunities for collaboration and expeditions, as well as opportunities we have yet to imagine.”

“This is more than Unity College renting out space, however,” said Dr. Khoury. “By moving into Pineland Farms, we are living our mission.

We are supporting a like-minded organization, and in turn, we hope that having us at Pineland Farms will help support their mission and goals.

It is quite exciting.”

360 Virtual Tour Visit the Distance Education office in New Gloucester at: unity.edu/pineland

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Expanding our degree offerings 30

I N T H E PA S T Y E A R A LO N E , D I S TA N C E E D U C AT I O N INTRODUCES 16 NEW DEGREE PROGRAMS

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ALUMNI STORIES UNITY MAGAZINE

Since it launched in 2016, the growth of Unity College Distance Education has been well documented, recently seeing its largest incoming class ever. Not only is Distance Education reaching more students than ever, it has continued to expand its offerings over the past year, adding new degree programs and certifications each year, and has adjusted tuition to increase accessibility and affordability.

Last fall, Unity College Distance Education launched two new undergraduate degree programs, which were created and designed to meet the growing interest of students and demand in the job market. The new programs, Animal Health and Behavior and Environmental Science and Climate Change, fit nicely into Unity College’s mission and offer students a wide range of careers after completing their degree online.

Two new master’s degrees are offered in Environmental Science, and Urban Ecology and Sustainable Planning.

In fall 2020, Unity College added another three new bachelor’s degree options and two new master’s programs. The three new bachelor’s degrees are in Animal Science, Environmental Health and Safety, and Environmental Health and Wellness, as well as new master’s degrees in Marine Science and Animal Science and Behavior.

“As we find new students all over the country who for the first time see that earning a degree from America’s Environmental College is a very real possibility for them, we’re also seeing what they’re interested in learning, and what career paths they most want to take,” said Unity College President Dr. Melik Peter Khoury. “Our Distance Education curriculum is also built in a way that can be more flexible.

We can add degree programs with the help of our Instructional Design team, who work with content experts to ensure our courses are giving our students the education and experience they will need to start a new career or take that next step in their current career.”

Over the next 10 years, the projected growth for jobs like environmental compliance specialists, environmental technicians, environmental engineers, and energy engineers ranges from 6 to 12 percent, while the need for solar installers is projected to more than double.

Animal Degrees Having introduced 16 new degree “One of the other Careers for Animal programs over the last 12 months, Unity College significant advantages of Health and Behavior, Distance Education has seen tremendous growth Distance Education is that including veterinary in interest, specifically in its bachelor’s degree in we can work with faculty assistants and Animal Health and Behavior. and content experts technicians, zoologists, from all over the country, caretakers, trainers, without them needing to relocate,” added Unity and veterinarians are projected to grow between College Distance Education Vice President Dr. Amy 7 percent and 24 percent.

Arnett. “And our curriculum isn’t what most think of when they hear the phrase ‘online learning’ — it’s At the end of 2019, the College added five new experiential. Our faculty and instructional designers degree programs — three undergraduate and two build the courses to get students out into their own graduate — as well as a Sustainability Business communities, while we’re also just beginning to Micro-Credential. The three new bachelor’s degrees leverage the benefits of extended reality, which can are in Environmental Geospatial Technologies, bring new experiences and locations to our students Environmental Justice and Social Change, and Marine that we never thought imaginable.”

Biology and Sustainable Aquaculture.

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Ecotourism in the Green Economy Adventure Ecotourism gives students the tools to become an entrepreneur in the growing adventure ecotourism and outdoor recreation industry.

Economies of scale reduce online graduate degree tuition costs After evaluating the effects of our growth, Unity College has found that economies of scale have enabled the College to reduce its graduate degree tuition from $870 per credit hour to $650, and from $783 for active military and veterans to $585. The change to graduate tuition was put into place in August, coming on the heels of undergraduate tuition costs being re-evaluated and reduced just last year.

“This is important to us. Projected growth allows us to make a quality private environmental education more affordable. Access and affordability are two of the pillars on which we built Unity College Distance Education, and as a result, we’ve also seen a dramatic increase in diversity within the Unity College community, reaching learners where they are,” said Unity College President Dr. Melik Peter Khoury.

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UNITY MAGAZINE IN MEMORY OF

In Memory of

Mike Wallace ‘73 MICHAEL WAS A PROUD UNITY COLLEGE ALUM WHO WENT ON TO DO I M P O R TA N T WO R K A S A WILDLIFE SCIENTIST IN THE AREA OF CALIFORNIA CONDOR CO N S E R VAT I O N .

In honor of Mike, who recently passed, Unity College is reprinting a magazine profile of him from December 2013:

From a very young age, Mike “Bird Kid” Wallace was fascinated with birds, starting first with pigeons and other “backyard variety” birds.

His passion eventually developed into an interest in birds of prey.

As a young teenager, Wallace was given the task of taking care of pigeons that were housed in a granary across the street from his house. His job was to feed them.

He became fascinated with how he was able manipulate the pigeons and get them to do what he wanted with something as benign as stale bread.

Fast-forward to Wallace’s freshman year at Unity College. He wanted to keep birds of prey and he was able establish relationships with a few local farmers who gave him permission to use some of their barns and outbuildings for housing his “pet” birds.

“When I first arrived at Unity, I was pleasantly surprised by the support of the local community of what may have seemed a rather ‘strange’ hobby,” said Wallace. “At the time, not many other people I knew were all that interested in falconry, or training and keeping birds of

The “Bird Kid” Mike Wallace ‘73 prey, but when I got to campus and quickly found the resources between the professors and the locals to help continue my passion, I knew I had found the right place.”

After he graduated from Unity College, Wallace went on to earn a master’s in wildlife ecology and a double Ph.D. in wildlife ecology and poultry science, all from the University of Wisconsin. There, he learned about the California condor.

conditions are good, sometimes travel up to 150 miles per day for a meal. Because they are vultures, condors primarily eat carrion, and the adaptation of their bald heads gives them the ability to reach into rotting carcasses to feed and then clean up easily. Another unique characteristic of the condor is its ability to change the skin color on its head and neck, indicating emotion and serving as a means of communication between individual birds.

The condor, a highly intelligent and social bird, has the largest wingspan of any North American bird, the ability to soar up to 18,000 feet, and to fly at speeds of 85 miles per hour in a steep glide.

They rely on their keen eyesight to find food, and when the flying

“We as humans were responsible for the near extinction of the California condor,” said Wallace.

“I feel we have a responsibility to see the recovery of the species to a sustainable level in the end. We caused the problem, so we should fix it.”

IN MEMORY OF UNITY MAGAZINE

Dr. Khoury remembers

PROFESSOR WoodS OUR FRIEND, OUR MENTOR, OUR COLLEAGUE – BARRY! YOU WILL BE MISSED. August 1, 2020 - “This summer, Unity College lost one of its longest-serving faculty members, Barry Woods. Barry served as a faculty member at Unity College for more than 40 years and inspired thousands of students and colleagues in that time. However, his contributions to Unity College are truly immeasurable. His insight, support, and positive attitude have left a profound impact on everyone at Unity College.

Barry’s guidance and support went beyond Unity College and into the town of Unity, where he was a beloved member of the community.

In Unity, he not only taught, but he raised a family and volunteered in the community that he called home. Very few remember a Unity without him.

In addition to being one of the longest-serving faculty members and most loyal donors to the Unity Fund, he also served as an AP-Statistics Reader and on the Board of Directors for Operation Game Thief, a private, nonprofit organization that works in cooperation with the Maine Warden Service. When he wasn’t volunteering here, he was serving overseas and as an educational consultant for the College of the Marshall Islands and the Northern Marianas College in Saipan.

In the early days of the College, the stationary tag line was “Come help

us build a college.” Barry took that to heart, literally. When he wasn’t teaching statistics, he was helping transform buildings to make them into better classrooms and student spaces. He helped renovate Koons Hall twice on the inside and once on the outside, and he actively participated in building the Loop Road, by running the pan truck carving out where the road should be. He was also instrumental in building the original softball field.

Barry Woods watched and helped transform the College from a collection of mismatched buildings to a cohesive campus.

Barry’s teaching in statistics will leave a lasting impact on us all.

In more than 40 years, he went from teaching with a slide rule,

pen, and pencil to fully embracing technology, his favorite of which was Microsoft Excel, as many of his students will recall.

He once said: “In my class, we will write Excel formulas. We will use the functions that Bill Gates gave us … it’s an outstanding spreadsheet, but I want them to see it [and use it] as a statistics package.” He collaborated with several other faculty members over the years to show students the practical application of statistics in their careers.

His legacy will live on through his students and colleagues, and the world will be a better place because of it.”

- Dr. Melik Peter Khoury

Come Help us Build a College Barry served as a faculty member at Unity College for more than 40 years and inspired thousands of students and colleagues in that time.

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STUDENT INTERNSHIPS Farming in South Korea Lyndsay Sharrock ‘20 traveled through South Korea working on three farms.

Organic farming in South Korea Through internships, Unity College students have gotten the opportunity to explore the world, and when Lyndsay Sharrock ‘20 was weighing her options, she knew she wanted an internship that combined her passion for organic farming and exploring new cultures.

A senior Sustainable Agriculture and Environmental Writing major, Sharrock found the perfect opportunity through World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF), where she traveled through South Korea working on three farms.

Throughout the summer, Sharrock helped cultivate raspberries, herbs, and rice, and also worked with children. She had the opportunity to visit South Korea’s capital, Seoul, twice while she was there, the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea, and a handful of Buddhist temples.

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Working at New England’s largest aquarium Over the summer, Jordan Baker, a senior Marine Biology major at Unity College, had the opportunity of a lifetime to learn the ins and outs of the New England Aquarium as an aquarist intern primarily working with the Northern Waters of the World Gallery.

While Jordan spent her days ensuring that the animals were

New England’s Largest Aquarium Jordan Baker ‘20 had the opportunity of a lifetime to learn the ins and outs.

properly fed and that they had plenty of toys, one of the key subjects she learned about, surprisingly, was tank plumbing.

“You wouldn’t think in a role like this that being a plumber would be so handy in a tank aquarium setup,” said Baker.

“But being able to look at all the PVC pipe that crystalizes around and swoops and turns, it’s really helpful to understand that.”

Though Baker concluded her internship in September, she went on to work temporarily with the aquarium’s Shark and Ray Touch Tank, and has since landed a full-time job as a floating aquarist gallery member, working with the Northern Waters Gallery, Tropical Gallery, Thinking Gallery (aka Temperate Gallery), Yawkey Coral Reef Center, and Freshwater Gallery.

“A lot of what I learned in the classroom was super applicable to what I am doing,” said Baker.

“When I come to the aquarium, I feel like I’m selling an experience that promotes conservation, education, and research.”

INTERNSHIPS UNITY MAGAZINE

Sustainable Enterprise and Tourism Gabby Smith ‘21, a Sustainable Enterprise Business major, received an opportunity through the Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center as a Destination Development intern with the Maine Office of Tourism and Office of Outdoor Recreation. In her role, Gabby worked to better understand the process of establishing performance indicators; expand researching, developing, assessing, and reporting skills for the development of tourism destination areas in Maine, and building toolkits for those areas; and absorb as much knowledge and information as possible to expand her understanding of tourism as a whole and as it relates to her career interests.

Rehabilitating Animals Melissa Driscoll ‘21, a Captive Wildlife Care and Education major, spent her summer rehabilitating injured and orphaned animals at the Silent Voices Raccoon and Wildlife Rehabilitation center.

Silent Voices Raccoon and wildlife rehabilitation For her internship, Melissa Driscoll ‘21, a Captive Wildlife Care and Education major at

“I got to work with great people, and it was really inspiring to see people working in the field,” Gabby said. “It definitely sparked even more interest in the tourism industry, and I’m going to continue my path in sustainable business and tourism.”

Unity College, worked with injured wildlife at the Silent Voices Raccoon and Wildlife Rehabilitation. While there, Melissa developed her skills in administering vaccines and medications to injured animals, feeding orphaned animals, and creating enrichment exercises to prepare animals for reintroduction to the wild.

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UNITY MAGAZINE ALUMNI NOTES

Alumni Notes HAVE AN ALUMNI NOTE YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE WITH US? PLEASE SEND AN EMAIL TO ADVANCEMENT@UNITY.EDU. WE’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU! Steven Beason ‘14 Currently working at the State of Indiana for the Office of Water Quality in the Department of Environmental Management as an Environmental Scientist. I work in the Data Compliance Section overseeing The Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) data for the entire state and I review the data of 600+ facilities across 20 counties. I also enhance and develop new Excel Indiana state forms for the Data Compliance staff, which have not been updated since 2014. I have given two presentations at major conventions for Certified Operators on the new forms to help track their data.

Joe Benedict ‘91 Works as the Chief of Wildlife & Forestry Division, overseeing roughly 160 staff, for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.

Maria Broadbent ‘88 In August 2020, became the Town Administrator for Wellfleet, MA, on Cape Cod. Kaela Campanella ‘19 Works as a wilderness education instructor at Camp Waubanong in Brattleboro, VT. The camp is shifting to become an experiential education-based program, and she is currently a part of developing

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wilderness skill and expeditionbased education opportunities for children ages 6 through 17.

Chad Gadsby ‘07 Works as a Service Forester for Loyalsock State Forest, PA DCNR Bureau of Forestry.

Dr. Rob Gottesman ‘72 I live in Boca Raton Florida with my wife Helen and my son Adir. I am semi-retired as an educational psychologist and special education teacher. I am opening up an ice cream parlor and coffee bar to employ people with disabilities.

Marsha Barnes ’13 - Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Hutchinson, MN Rebecca Cunfer ‘09 Relocated and relaunched Evergrowing Inspirations, a 501(C) (3) nonprofit, which provides science and nature programs to kids, preparing to build a nature center.

Currently employed as Human Resource & Security Administrative Specialist at Green Thumb Industries, a medical marijuana cultivation and processing center in Danville, PA. Kevin DesRoberts ‘88 I work for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in southern Nevada. I am the Project Leader for the Desert National Wildlife Refuge Complex, which includes Ash Meadows, Desert, Moapa Valley and Pahrangat National Wildlife Refuges and the Ash Meadows Fish Conservation Facility.

Emily Guarino ‘00 Works as the Director of Research Training & Data Collection at Dolphin Research Center in the Florida Keys.

Devin Hoffer ‘16 Currently in my final year of graduate school working toward my master’s in the Cooperative Wildlife Research Lab in Southern Illinois University.

My thesis is on the effect restoration practices have on the occupancy of semi-aquatic mammals in an urban landscape.

Jordan Leavitt ’19 - Project Coordinator at Terracon

ALUMNI NOTES UNITY MAGAZINE

Michael Kinson ‘07 I have worked for the NHDOT since 2016 as a Technical Support Specialist for the Bureau of Construction. My focus is on moving the State’s Construction division paperless through the use of mobile applications, Global Navigation Satellite Systems, and other various software programs. I train the 85 field engineers on the programs and devices issued to them, provide technical support to those individuals, and provide interdepartmental support as well. I have been married for six years now and have a 5-year-old daughter as well as a 3-year-old son.

John McMurry ‘07 Works as a Senior Energy Consultant at VEIC. Jared Mummert ‘16 I am working as a program specialist for the National Recreation and Park Association to enhance equitable park access and quality of local parks and recreation. I am also pursuing my MPA and concentrating in Environmental Science and Public Policy at George Mason University.

Roy Kitchner ‘84 Promoted to Vice Admiral, US Navy.

Assumed command of Naval Surface Forces, August 2020.

Dale McGee ‘72 & ‘82 Working in a private practice, eCOPS, providing services to first responders and the general public in Maine and Florida. All work is done by telehealth. Specializing in trauma.

Liz McMahon ‘73 Worked as a school librarian for 32 years, retired in 2016. Enjoying retirement. Worked part-time for two years at Old Fort Western as an Historical Interpreter giving tours to visitors from all over the world right in Augusta, ME. A fabulous experience. Now enjoying gardening, quilting, knitting and anything else that strikes my fancy. Trips to the UK have been a highlight, especially the trip to Scotland where I met the bagpipe band that was originally founded by my grandfather in the late 1800s .

the marine science lab for 11 Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education universities, before deciding to move back to Maine.

Once back in Maine, I temporarily worked at Hurricane Island Outward Bound for a year before taking a position at the University of Maine’s Darling Marine Center, UMaine’s marine science laboratory and field station, as the Programs & Communications Manager. While working at UMaine I am also completing a second master’s in policy, planning and management with a concentration in nonprofit management, at the University of Southern Maine’s Muskie School of Public Service.

Jimmy Pickett ‘18

Devon Ramia ’07 - Hospital Manager, Sea Turtle Hospital @ The University of Florida’s Whitney Lab Matthew Norwood ‘08 After working the educational tallship trade for a few years and earning a 100 ton USCG Masters (Captains) Licence, I moved to Wisconsin to work at an outdoor semester school program while earning an M.S. in natural resources with a concentration in residential environmental education and interpretation, from the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point.

After that, I worked at the Chincoteague Bay Field Station,

Sally Carullo ’16 - Hydrologic Technician, USGS, Honolulu, HI

As of January 2020, was serving as an intern at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Holyoke, MA. My main focus is establishing a community garden on the church’s front lawn.

Through this work, I hope to create space for community connection between the Sunday congregation

UNITY MAGAZINE ALUMNI NOTES

Alumni Notes and the neighborhood. Part of this work is to feed our neighbors using the resources of the church, another aspect is to reconnect the teachings of the church to the agrarian context of the earliest Christian communities.

I hope that people will be fed physically and spiritually and that the church will realize its role and responsibility to act for environmental stewardship.

Bob Portner ‘73

Bob Portner ’73 Unity, ME

This is myself and my wife Carol’s fourth summer since moving to Unity, ME permanently. It’s gone too fast and thankfully we’ve stayed healthy.

My band, FlyRod Crosby (named after the very first Maine guide who also happens to be female), has been practicing socially distant in our guitarist’s garage. My son Ross and his fiancé came up to visit on Labor Day weekend. They were married in a small backyard ceremony on Oct. 10.

Devon Ramia ‘07 I am currently the Hospital Manager at the University of Florida Whitney Lab Sea Turtle Hospital in St. Augustine Florida. The Sea Turtle Hospital at Whitney Lab is equipped

to house and study turtles with FP. While under our care, scientists have the opportunity to learn from turtles that have presented with signs of FP (lesions on soft tissues, etc.) in hopes of advancing the understanding of the FP virus, its life-cycle, transmission and effect on marine animal health.

Lauren Rappel ‘89 I have lived in New Mexico since 1989 (Wow, is that possible?!?). I moved here because my mom fell in love with the West. It took me a few years to get comfortable here, but now I love the weather, the people, the laid back lifestyle, and the land. I do miss water though. I have raised two kids here (19 and 26), started my business here (a consignment shop celebrating nearly 18 years in business!!), got married, got divorced (haha!), and got my degree in social work - of all things!

Travis Wagner ‘83 I moved back to California in 2017.

I am currently the Sustainability Coordinator for the City of Sonoma.

In addition, I continue to teach environmental policy courses for the University of Southern Maine and Sonoma State University.

Wayne Stump ’93 - Chief Operating Officer, Greater Scranton YMCA, Hazelton, PA

ALUMNI NOTES UNITY MAGAZINE

What’s youR STORY? Unity College Alumni notes are online! Always available for you to update your information and check out what is happening with your classmates. Go to:

unity.edu/alumni

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UNITY MAGAZINE 2020

UNITY MAGAZINE 2020

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